benign ectopic beats

[Brian123]

ok I have posted before, I'm not actually sure if this has been answered before, sorry if it has, can someone tell me what exactly they mean by benign?

[Xtrastrongbint]

(of a disease) not harmful in effect xx

[Catherine S]

Hiya, it just means that although they're real and they're uncomfortable they aren't a sign of heart disease. Most people get them but not everybody can feel them happening. My hubby is only aware of his if he has his bp measured, because the machine shows your pulse, but he never ever feels them, yet they drive me nuts! Also my GP gets them and he takes beta blockers for his, and prescribed them for me too and they really help.

You'very probably been told to avoid too many stimulants such as caffeine and too much alcohol but I also notice them if I've eaten something that has irritated my stomach. Hope that helps.

ISB

[frosty2901]

i hate the blasted things the send me into a proprer panic when I have them I think omg my hearts stopped or why am I getting these flutters etc I often wonder why we get them.

[Catherine S]

Hi frosty, I know how you feel and alot of members suffer with them. I'm always a bit nervous telling people that I've lived with off and on most of my adult life, because I first noticed them in my 20s and now I am 62 and still get them and think it might panic people to know that. However, cliché that it is, I have learned to accept them with the help of low dose beta blockers. But the reason I sometimes do tell, is that I just want people to know that you can have them happening for that long without them doing any damage or causing organic heart disease.

ISB x

[n3r0x1k]

Hi frosty, I know how you feel and alot of members suffer with them. I'm always a bit nervous telling people that I've lived with off and on most of my adult life, because I first noticed them in my 20s and now I am 62 and still get them and think it might panic people to know that. However, cliché that it is, I have learned to accept them with the help of low dose beta blockers. But the reason I sometimes do tell, is that I just want people to know that you can have them happening for that long without them doing any damage or causing organic heart disease.

ISB x

About the Beta Blockers, do you take them because they would be too numerous and maybe harmful with time or only to ease your mind? I'm asking because I'm getting lots of mixed information about them on the web, sites like healthline that say they do not indicate a heart disease if they are only occasional -- but I've had phases where they are everything BUT occasional. Sometimes I can be days, sometimes weeks, where they are happening all day, and that's since my teen years (I'm 34 now).

So my two questions are:

1 - are beta blockers needed in order for them not to lead to harm, and
2 - Can it be that my heart is okay and that I am in no danger even if I have long phases (days, sometimes weeks).

Over the years I've done so many ECG's, a couple echocardiograms, a couple of Holters (although I can't program myself to have a lot when I had the Holter on), and they always tell me that I'm okay. Some nurses told me that they themselves have loads of them often (PVC's or PAC's) and not to worry, but some sites that seem legit seem to give a different opinion and a lot of people seem to take beta blockers for them (hence my other concern).

I just don't want to resort to beta blockers because I once tried them to see if it would help my often occuring tachycardia but sometimes my heart went too slow even at low dosages.

[Catherine S]

Hi n3,
Firstly, without the beta blockers I would get runs of them most days, and although I know they've never harmed my heart, I take the meds to feel more comfortable because they aren't a pleasant thing to experience and none of us like the idea of our hearts beating erratically even if there's nothing wrong. In the same way we wouldn't put up with a bad headache if we can take a painkiller.

Secondly, I've seen various cardiologists over the years and particularly over the last 9 years since marrying my German hubby, because we moved around alot with his job, and each new doctor sent me for scans etc, just to see for themselves that all was ok, and it always has been. I know there can be conflictingadvice, but I never take medical advice from any websites. I've never had any problems with any medics over the years so have got no reason not to trust what they tell me, and they've always told me the ectopics and flutters are harmless and won't lead to true heart disease and this includes cardiologists in Germany too. And as I said before, my presename GP sufferers with them too, he hates them as much as anybody and says he would never go on holiday without his beta blockers lol! So if he doesn't think they do any permanent damage I have to believe him.

I don't know what i'll die of in the end, and at 62 i'm closer to it than I ever was, but I know it won't be the palpitations. There are other diseases of the heart such as atrial fibrillation which affects the beating of it, but for a different reason, an organic reason. The palpitations we suffer with are more nerve controlled almost like having a rogue nerve I guess.

[n3r0x1k]

..

Thanks! I appreciate you having taken the time to reply.

[Mistraal]

I used to have them. It was caused by anxiety. I rarely get them anymore. :winks:

[Catherine S]

Mistral, to say they are caused just by anxiety is over-simplifying the condition to be honest, because the anxiety usually comes after experiencing them for alot of people. They are the result of alot of different factors such as too much caffeine, spicy food, alcohol etc. Also for women, hormones can play a big part in making them worse. Anxiety alone is often not the cause, it just makes them worse.

ISB x

[n3r0x1k]

to say they are caused just by anxiety is over-simplifying the condition to be honest

Exactly! Although it is true that anxiety will almost always make them worse, especially if that anxiety is directed at the symptoms themselves. But only anxiety as a cause in all cases, nope. There are so many causes, from potassium deficiency, which I personally often live having Chronic Kidney Disease (only Stage 2 though) and in other people it can be other electrolyte imbalances (including calcium, magnesium), and I won't go into every cause, even doctors still have trouble explaining why they happen sometimes. Stimulants also don't help, but again, sometimes drinking coffee actually brings them down for me. I'm not saying it's a recommended method, to each his own little tricks, and sometimes no trick does it on me, but to boil it down: anxiety is not the only cause.

[Catherine S]

n3, always remember that you're not alone with this, many people experience them and my doctor who has them too as I said, has never heard of anybody developing heart disease because of them. Those of us unlucky enough to be aware of them just have to find a way to cope with them.

ISB x

[n3r0x1k]

n3, always remember that you're not alone with this, many people experience them and my doctor who has them too as I said, has never heard of anybody developing heart disease because of them. Those of us unlucky enough to be aware of them just have to find a way to cope with them.

Thanks again! It's actually quite reassuring for me today to get kind words like yours, I've been struggling with them and sinus tachycardia all week, even went at the ER (again).

[Catherine S]

n3, these palpitations, ectopics, flutters or whatever we prefer to call them used to bring me to my knees, such was the fear. I have had to find a way to live with them simply because they've never really gone away completely. But because i learned all about them, i lost the fear of them, but if you don't want to take beta blockers , then perhaps find a natural alternative. But as far as beta blockers go, they're none addictive, meaning you don't get withdrawl symptoms if you decide not to take them because they're not mind-altering, and can be taken as and when needed.

It's also a paradox that beta blockers are also given to people who suffer with true heart disease, because as you know, they block too much adrenaline from irritating the heart, so in that way they can be taken to help with the benign condition too. I take Bisoprolol at 10mg daily which suits me really well, and has given me so much relief. My doc takes this too.

[Brian123]

this place is a godsend, I am 49 year old man and not afraid to admit that these ectopic beats, like I have been having this week scare me, but after reading that I am not alone, it really does help me cope, I saw my doctor today, yet again he told me that they will not harm me, he also told me to up my doze of bisoprolol from 5mg to 10mg, I am hoping this will calm these beats down a bit

[mnaha]

n3, these palpitations, ectopics, flutters or whatever we prefer to call them used to bring me to my knees, such was the fear. I have had to find a way to live with them simply because they've never really gone away completely. But because i learned all about them, i lost the fear of them, but if you don't want to take beta blockers , then perhaps find a natural alternative. But as far as beta blockers go, they're none addictive, meaning you don't get withdrawl symptoms if you decide not to take them because they're not mind-altering, and can be taken as and when needed.

It's also a paradox that beta blockers are also given to people who suffer with true heart disease, because as you know, they block too much adrenaline from irritating the heart, so in that way they can be taken to help with the benign condition too. I take Bisoprolol at 10mg daily which suits me really well, and has given me so much relief. My doc takes this too.

ISB ,,,You are a godsend. Your words are so supportive and kind . I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you and the fact that you suffer and have suffered with the same thing as we do really helps. I too had a cardiologist that had the same thing and he wasn't even sure why they occur but took beta blockers as well Your words ring true and really help. thank you so much .

[Brian123]

Mistral, to say they are caused just by anxiety is over-simplifying the condition to be honest, because the anxiety usually comes after experiencing them for alot of people. They are the result of alot of different factors such as too much caffeine, spicy food, alcohol etc. Also for women, hormones can play a big part in making them worse. Anxiety alone is often not the cause, it just makes them worse.

ISB x

Nailed it on the head there, that's why I have anxiety now :weep:

[Catherine S]

Hope you are hanging in there Brian?

Cath ☺

[Brian123]

Yeah just, things always seem worse at night

[Catherine S]

They do for sure. When my ectopics were really bad they were much more scary at night. Because you know there are not many people around to help, and somehow thequietness makes the fear of them worse. Even without the dreaded ectopics, I still don't like the night. Try to have a good chat with your doctor about the meds though Brian. If he's willing to help you, it may be a bit of trial and error but eventually you should hit on the right dose to help you with these flippin horrible things. I had a run of them earlier today, but I'd been eating much more chocolate than was good for me, and I think I had a sugar rush which triggered them. I took an extra Bisoprolol, which I do very occasionally if the normal dose hasn't helped, and this cured it.

[Brian123]

I will do, going to try and get an appointment tomorrow, want him to get me another 24 hour monitor and maybe a heart scan, then to see a cardiologist as I haven't seen one since I had the afib episode 10 years ago, will also discuss med to get me through this, thanks for your help Cath, its really appreciated, when you say you had a run of them what were they like?

[Catherine S]

My heart was dropping every third or fourth beat, and then that affects breathing and that's when the panic can set in. But I've had them long enough to calm myself down and think if there was anything i'd done to trigger them, and I hadn't long eaten half an easter egg my daughter had given me, and I do know that although I can eat sweet stuff, if I overload it can bring on a sugar rush, and that can make my heart skip beats alot. So at these times I take an extra pill, because that's ok to do with beta blockers.

I had a heart scan and ecg in July last year and all was clear. I'm sure yours will be too.
Let us know how you get on.

Cath ☺

[Brian123]

I will do Cath, thanks

[Brian123]

just an update, got my heart scan and 5 day monitor results, the heart scan came back clear, cardio said I had a strong heart, all valves working fine, the ecg showed up the ectopics which were benign, my cardiologist actually specialises in palpitations so he knows what he is seeing on the ecg, I still get them daily, sometimes for a couple of hours, and then no more that day, I have learned to accept them, which I find in my case, is what I had to do, but guess I will have my bad days and good days, I am certainly not as anxious about them now, which is a big triumph compared to the way I was a few months ago, thx for all your help and re assurance when I needed it most.

[n3r0x1k]

just an update, got my heart scan and 5 day monitor results, the heart scan came back clear, cardio said I had a strong heart, all valves working fine, the ecg showed up the ectopics which were benign, my cardiologist actually specialises in palpitations so he knows what he is seeing on the ecg, I still get them daily, sometimes for a couple of hours, and then no more that day, I have learned to accept them, which I find in my case, is what I had to do, but guess I will have my bad days and good days, I am certainly not as anxious about them now, which is a big triumph compared to the way I was a few months ago, thx for all your help and re assurance when I needed it most.

That's awesome news!

[Superworrier]

So so pleased for you hun .
Hope now you feel a sense of calmness from the panic :hugs: